A couple of days ago, we learnt through media reports, about the unfortunate abduction of the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr Samuel Uche.
According to these reports, Dr Uche was kidnapped along with the Methodist Bishop of Owerri, Rt. Rev. Dennis Mark and the Prelate’s Chaplain but were released after paying 100 Million Naira ransom.
However, speaking up after his release, the Prelate shared his experiences while in custody of his abductors.
Dr Samuel Uche disclosed that their abductors were all fulani men and kept their cows somewhere, numbering about 200.
According to him, the abductors were against the Nigerian government and would have killed him if he hesitated to tell them that he was not a government official.
Speaking further, Dr Uche revealed that the Bishop of Owerri would have also been killed to show their seriousness about the negotiation price.
He noted that the kidnappers remarked that they would kill all of them and go kidnap others if they kept negotiating a lower price.
“These boys were within 18 years and their leader will be around 35 years. One of them understands English but the others were speaking Fulani not even Hausa.
They kept their cow somewhere numbering about 200. In the end, they settled for N100 million and said it was not negotiable that if I talk they will kill us and forget the ransom and go ahead to kidnap others.
They even attempted to kill the Bishop of Owerri and that they will let his blood spilt on me then I will know that they were serious.”
Concluding, the prelate said that it was around 5:30 that the youngest boy among them told them congratulation, that they were free to go, and brought them to an old road where it was written ‘Welcome to Imo’ and ‘Goodbye to Abiaʼ.